Rose would be honored to play for Team USA

By Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will consider it an honor if he is chosen to be a part of the team that will represent the United States in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

“I mean, if they pick me, yeah,” Rose said Monday in Manila when asked if he wants to join Team USA. “If they select me on the team, it will be an honor.”

Rose was part of the team that won gold in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, starting all nine games of the tournament and averaging 7.2 points and 3.2 assists per game.

But he did not participate in Team USA’s four-day camp in Las Vegas last July, as he continues to recover from an ACL injury that forced him to miss the entirety of the 2012-2013 NBA season.

According to USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo, Rose can still be a part of Team USA, as he “qualifies in a lot of ways” for the national squad.

“He knows our system. He’s been part of USA Basketball. He’s a terrific guy. He’s a great competitor,” Colangelo told USA Today back in July. “We have to wait and see what he looks like. How quickly does he get back to that level, and then it’s going to be up to him as to whether he wants to be with us next summer.”

Rose stressed that he is more than willing to join the team.

“I definitely will be on the team if Coach K (Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski) wants me,” he said.